Playing for Keeps

by Rhonda Laurel

  Hoping to turn off the static in her mind, she picked up the remote off the coffee table and turned the TV on. She might as well watch a little television and fix herself a cup of tea while she did her thing. She padded into the kitchen and put on the kettle. She loved living with Derek, but she missed being here too. In the time that she’d spent here licking her wounds from the cruel world, she’d never been closer to her grandmother. It had been hard to get quality time with her when she was younger, there were so many kids flitting in and out of here. The several months she’d stayed with her had given her an unfiltered view of her grandmother. And she was awesome, of course. She’d learned more about the family’s history, and now it made perfect sense how the family interacted with each other. Uncles Lucas and Curtis were the outgoing go-getters, so it was no surprise that they played sports in high school and went out and pursued physically demanding careers like being a Marine and a firefighter. Her dad, Marcus, on the other hand, was an introvert who was painfully shy. She wished she’d known more about Trina, Dana, and Beverly’s dad Hollis, but still many years after his untimely young death, Grandma Reed still felt it too painful to talk about him.

  Grandma Reed said her dad Marcus preferred to stay in the background and was usually observing everything around him but found it too difficult to socialize. Lucas and Curtis were always there to protect him from any bullies, so he never really had to stand up for himself. Grandma said that Grandpa had tried to encourage him to get out and do things, but that only drove a wedge between them. Her memories of her grandfather, Ellis Reed, were vague, but she remembered him being a strong, dashing man with strong opinions and a smile that could power a star system. He’d been tall, like his sons, had gray hair at his temples, played the saxophone, and loved to read the newspaper. That was the one thing her dad did have in common with his dad. Marcus was an avid reader and loved to keep up on current world events.

  Which got her to thinking about how her mom had managed to wrangle him. Her mom was the exact opposite of her father in every way. At first the family thought it was a good thing that the quiet one of the group found a counterbalance for his timid personality. Little did they know that Debra would rule the kingdom of Marcus as any domineering queen would do. Grandma said he seemed happy, so she didn’t push until Charisma and Trevor came along. The two strong-willed women had gotten into it plenty of times over how Debra treated her kids. Grandma also confessed that she’d told Marcus that if he ever wanted to leave his wife, she’d happily raise the two of them.

  Charisma fished inside one of the shopping bags and pulled out the throw. It did look nice draped on the back of the couch. She continued placing the decorative items around the room. She was so intently locked in design mode that she didn’t hear someone else was in the house.

  “Charisma. What are you up to?” a voice said behind her.

  “Grandma!” Charisma clutched her chest. “You scared the daylights out of me! Where did you come from?”

  “I was looking for something in the sewing room.” She pointed at the small room down the hall that the Reed kids used to play in when they were little. “You’d make an awful cat burglar. Trevor is much better at sneaking in and out of the house.”

  “I think Trevor could sneak into the Pentagon if he wanted,” she replied.

  Grandma Reed looked her over and smiled. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”

  She paused, racking her brains. “Um…no, I don’t think so.”

  “You didn’t do anything special last night?”

  “No.” She sighed. “Derek surprised me by coming home from New York early, but his friend Jonas showed up drunk out of his mind.”

  “Oh.” Grandma Reed’s smiled faded. “Is that the one who curses like a sailor?”

  “The one and the same. Derek plied him with coffee and let him sleep it off. He had a long talk with him this morning and sent him on his way.”

  “Good, you two can spend some time alone tonight.” Grandma Reed looked her over again. “Your hair looks nice.”

  “Thanks, I just came from the hair salon. My mom was there, but it certainly wasn’t a coincidence. The receptionist said she called and asked when I had my appointment.”

  “She did complain the other day that you were avoiding her. I told her it was a bad idea to go chasing you down. She never listens to me. She still bad mouthing Derek?”

  “Yes.” She sighed.

  “Your mother can’t stand the idea that you’re happy on your own terms. She’ll come around one of these days.”

  “I used to have hope about that. Ever since I moved in Derek, she’s been acting funny. I’m worried she’ll drive Trevor away again.”

  “He may not tell your parents every time he comes to town, but your brother promised me he wouldn’t disappear on us again.”

  “That’s something to be thankful for. Do you want some tea? I brought you cookies from that bakery you like.”

  “I’d love some tea with the granddaughter who’s been hiding from me.”

  “It hasn’t been a month, and I come bearing gifts.” She went over and touched the throw blanket.

  “I like that. The colors are warm.” Grandma gripped the table with one hand and her cane with the other as she gingerly sat in the dining room chair.

  “My thoughts exactly.” Charisma winced when she saw her struggling to sit. “Something wrong?”

  “My knee is acting up.”

  “You didn’t fall or anything?”

  “If you must know, I over did it line dancing at the senior center,” she huffed.

  Charisma smiled. “Oh. I’ll go get the tea.” Of course, her grandmother hadn’t been sitting around the house getting old. Grandma Reed continued to talk, catching her up on the family gossip as she snagged the box of cookies and scurried into the kitchen and got out the tea setting. She didn’t know if attending Mackenzie’s elaborate tea parties had rubbed off on her, but she enjoyed the flare of getting out the tea set and making a big deal about it. Once she’d placed everything on a tray, she returned to the dining room table.

  “Have you been using your chair lift?” she asked her grandma.

  “I don’t like it. I could bake a pie in the time that contraption brings me up and down the stairs.”

  “It’s not meant to be an amusement park ride. It would do you good to slow down a bit.”

  “I have too much living to do to slow down.”

  “Still, it’s here for a good reason, so use it more often.” Charisma poured tea into the cups. “Please.”

  “I will for you, Ms. Sassy Britches. If I don’t, you’ll find another reason to try and move back in here.”

  Since grandma wasn’t interested in moving into a new construction senior community, she and Derek had all sorts of things repaired around the house to make getting around easier for her. It had taken a while for her to believe her grandmother would be OK on her own without someone at the house constantly. She got around all right, but Charisma worried about her being alone at night.

  Charisma looked at the table. She’d forgotten to get the honey out of the pantry. She stood and was in full view of her grandmother.

  “How far along are you?” Grandma Reed smiled.

  She sank back down into the chair. “Ten weeks.”

  “I remember that stage. Just keep some saltines in your purse and some ginger ale handy. I was partial to seltzer water.”

  “Saltines aren’t doing the trick, but I think I’m addicted to graham crackers now.” She smiled.

  “Is that why you’ve been hiding from me?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She bit her lip. “Do I really look pregnant?”

  “Your boobs and your butt have gotten a little bigger since the last time I saw you. But if it’s any consolation to you, I knew a few weeks back too.”

  “Oh my gosh. Is it really that obvious?” Charisma’s hand went to her bottom. She’d felt her breasts changing, but she didn’t think anything else had grow
n.

  “Stop it.” Grandma waved a hand at her. “You’re a petite woman, it’s going to show when you weigh next to nothing. There’s no need for secrecy. You’re in a relationship with a wonderful young man who adores you.”

  “I needed to get past the denial first. Besides, if it was a false alarm, I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up prematurely.”

  “Like Derek? How did he take the news?”

  Charisma looked away. “Well.”

  “Please tell me you told that man he’s going to be a father.”

  “He’s been so busy since his team won the championship with interviews and stuff. I didn’t want to distract him from taking his victory lap. And Jonas showed up last night and threw everything off.”

  “Winning some trophy, no matter how big it is, does not compare to knowing you’re going to be a parent for the first time. You should be sharing this time with him. Ten weeks is more than enough to time to say the words and be hopeful about a healthy pregnancy.”

  She played with the spoon. Something had been gnawing at her on the drive over, but she’d shut down the negative talk in her mind. Seeing her mother today brought forward all of her insecurities with a vengeance. There was a possibility Derek would feel trapped. Who better to share her fears with than her Grandma? “There’s something else. We’ve been living together for a short while. We’re still getting used to each other and now this happens. This will change everything.”

  “Babies have a way of doing that.”

  “I want him to be free to love me and stay because he’s wants to. Now he’s going to feel obligated to stay with me. He should have options.”

  “He took his option. He wants a life with you.”

  “Grandma.” Her eyes teared up. “What if he just thought he loved me, but he really felt…I don’t know…a deep sense of pity? When we met, my life was a wreck. I can’t help feeling like he might have been attracted to that wounded little bird he’d sheltered from the vultures that were circling my carcass. That’s not a good foundation for starting a family.”

  “Charisma.” Grandma Reed came around the table, sat next to Charisma, and put her arm around her. “You listen to me. Derek loving you is not a fluke, and I don’t believe for a minute that he has some sort of White Knight complex. You two did meet at a vulnerable point in your life, and he stood up to that nasty bully Lamont and defended your honor countless times because you’re important to him. Men in love do that for their women.”

  That was what she wanted to hear. “You really think we’ll be OK?”

  “I know so.” Grandma kissed her on the cheek. “You know what would make you feel better?”

  “What?”

  “Telling him about the baby today. Don’t put it off, tell him as soon as you see him. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel.”

  “OK.” She sighed. “But I would still love to have that cup of tea with you.”

  “It’s a deal. Get the honey so we can have our tea, then off you go to tell that handsome man he’s going to be a daddy. I have to call Sydney so we can make a trip to the craft store to get yarn for my new great grandbaby’s blanket.”

  “That’s awfully nice of you. Do you think you could hold off on telling Sydney? Just until I tell Derek. I’d like to have one night of peace before the family found out.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  “Thanks, Grandma. I love you.”

  “I love you too. You’re going to be a great mother.”

  Derek’s earlier text said he’d be at the arena. She could go over there and finally say the words. She just hoped he wanted to hear them.

  * * *

  Derek effortlessly maneuvered the hockey puck around the rink with the stick. Running drills always cleared his head, and right now he needed to focus on the matter at hand. Now that Jonas was squared away, he didn’t foresee any other distractions popping up at the apartment tonight. If anyone showed up, family or not, he’d have to turn them away because nothing was going to put a damper on his plan.

  Although Steve sent the photos of the damage to the Slap Shot, he’d stopped by his bar earlier in the day to assess the damage from the fight for himself. There were a couple of bar stools, tables, and other things to be replaced, but he was still going to make Jonas and Mike pay for the damages. Steve and his crew did a good job cleaning up. They’d be able to open tonight, which was a good thing because the weekends were their busiest time. That facelift the Slap had received years ago had done wonders for the place and it had been turning a strong profit ever since. But more importantly, the remodeling had brought Charisma into his life.

  The string of interviews he’d done in New York had started him thinking about the future. They’d asked the typical questions, and he gave them the typical answers. His professional life was on autopilot, but his personal life was flourishing in ways he’d never imagined. He’d been playing hockey for a long time and he still loved the sport. But he knew he couldn’t do it forever. Who was he going to be after being Derek the hockey player for so many years? He’d been talking to his good friend Seth about that. Seth had transitioned pretty well post football. He was now co-owner of his beloved Texas Tomcats, a job that suited him well. Some would say he was destined for continued greatness after he’d wrapped up an awesome career.

  Seth told him the key to finding that next grand adventure would be finding something just as fulfilling as playing hockey. It would have to something that gave him a strong sense of purpose but wasn’t the center of his world. Seth loved football, but when Morgan and the kids came along, he said everything else in his life took second place.

  What was most important to him? Charisma. Making a life with her was his number one priority. They were finally living together. She’d been concerned that daily living would ruin their romance, but he’d assured her it would only make their love stronger. There was a time when she would have dove under the bed before she’d let him see her waxing her lip or flossing her teeth. Now they were in a place where being perfect was much less important than being together in an honest way. She’d given such meaning to his life. Things were great. No, things were wonderful. He wanted to make her his wife. He had a feeling everything else would fall perfectly into place.

  He was so lost in thought, at first he didn’t hear the applauding. When he looked up, he saw Charisma standing near the players’ benches.

  “Nice form,” she called out.

  “I like yours better.” He waggled his eyebrows as he skated to the edge of the ice. “I see you had another good day at the beauty salon.”

  “The ladies said to tell you hello.” She rolled her eyes.

  He grinned. “Ethel still has my picture up near her station?”

  “Yeah. It has a bunch of smudges on it. I hate to think of what photo Derek has been through.”

  “So what are you doing here? I love it, but it’s a bit of a surprise.”

  “I thought I’d come by and see you in action one last time.” She moved closer to him. “Have something on your mind?”

  “I always have something on my mind.” He leaned the stick against the wall. “I sent a text that I was planning another romantic evening for us sans drunken teammates nursing a broken heart.”

  “So Jonas was drowning his sorrows over a woman?”

  “Mike’s sister.”

  “Yikes. That won’t end well.” She bit her lip. “But on the plus side, Jonas has feelings for someone.”

  “And he’s liable to feel more pain from Mike’s fist if he doesn’t get it right.”

  “Jonas and Mike make Theo seem like a blessing in comparison.” She shook her head.

  “Well at least Alex stays out of trouble.”

  “Yeah, he won’t go anywhere near a woman.” He held up a hand. “I know, he’s still hurting.”

  “He’s focused on his work and the kids. One day he’ll want to socialize with another adult.”

  “I hope so. Since you’re here, why don
’t you put on a pair of skates? It’s been awhile since you’ve dazzled me with your skills.”

  “I think we could totally be a pair figure skating team.” She laughed.

  “What do you say?”

  “Not today.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t feel much like skating today. It’s been a long day.”

  “How so?”

  “My mom popped up at the beauty salon and we got into a thing.”

  “Oh.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Can we talk?”

  “OK. Have a seat.” He swallowed hard. “Let me get out of these and put them back in the equipment room.”

  Derek stepped off the ice and took a seat on the bench to put his blade guards on the skates. She’d just said the dreaded words, can we talk. In his experience, nothing good ever followed when someone said they wanted to talk, but he was hoping he was wrong. Maybe it was to be expected. She’d seen her mother today, after all. Debra made no bones about her feelings for him. He’d tried to reach out a few times but was always met with resistance. He and Charisma were happy, but Debra refused to see it that way.

  He made his way to the equipment room and put the skates back on the shelf. When he returned to the arena, Charisma hadn’t sat down, she was still standing by the ice.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I need to tell you something.”

  He couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Are you breaking up with me?”

  “No.” She took his hand in hers. “I went to the doctor while you were in New York. I’m afraid it will be awhile before we can go skating again. The doctor says to be careful about certain activities.”

  “You went to the doctor? Why didn’t you tell me? What did he say?” He took her face into his hands.

  “Activities like ice skating could be risky. If I fall it may hurt the baby.” She looked into his eyes.

  Derek felt his eyes go wide. His heart skipped more than a couple of beats. “What did you say?”

  “I’m pregnant.”